In a heartwarming tale of medical triumph, 13-year-old Gizhena from Russia, who was diagnosed with retinoblastoma last year, found hope at Shanghai Xinhua Hospital. After being advised by multiple hospitals in Moscow and Switzerland to remove her eye, Gizhena’s mother reached out to the Retinoblastoma (RB) treatment team at Xinhua Hospital through a Chinese patient support group. Following three precise interventional treatments, Gizhena not only retained her eye but also gradually regained her vision. Today, she frequently shares her paintings with Chinese doctors via WeChat, and her mother is diligently learning Chinese to express her gratitude in person.

    Similarly, Cancan, a preschooler who was found to have lost vision in his right eye during a routine check-up, was also advised by several hospitals to remove his eye. After seeking treatment at Xinhua Hospital, the neurosurgery team performed interventional therapy that not only saved Cancan’s eye but also restored his vision to a normal level. “Now, no one can tell he once had a malignant tumor,” said Cancan’s father, tears in his eyes.

    As International Children’s Day approached, Xinhua Hospital, affiliated with Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, hosted a “Retinoblastoma Family Day” event. Dozens of families participated in ophthalmology consultations, growth assessments, and parent-child interactions. “We aim not only to cure the disease but also to ensure these children lead complete lives,” said Jing Zhaohui, an RB interventional expert at Xinhua Hospital.

    As one of the largest RB treatment centers globally, Xinhua Hospital performs over 1,000 interventional surgeries annually, with a survival rate of 99% and an eye preservation rate exceeding 80%. The hospital has established a world-leading RB treatment system, incorporating the international “vision preservation first” philosophy and developing a tiered treatment plan to avoid excessive intervention. Leveraging cutting-edge technology, multidisciplinary collaboration, and a full-cycle management model, Xinhua Hospital achieves the triple breakthrough of “saving lives, preserving eyes, and maintaining vision.”

    The hospital integrates resources from over ten specialties, including ophthalmology and neurosurgery, to create a seamless “24-hour specialized emergency - multidisciplinary consultation - green channel treatment” model. From diagnosis to treatment, the process takes only six hours, ensuring the golden treatment period is not missed.

    In terms of core technology, Xinhua Hospital has innovatively developed super-selective ophthalmic artery interventional chemotherapy, significantly reducing complications through precise drug delivery. As the only team in China performing intraoperative retinal electrophysiological monitoring, Xinhua’s team continuously safeguards children’s vision. Collaborating with Tongji University, the hospital has developed an AI-assisted system for personalized intelligent treatment. The anesthesiology department at Xinhua Hospital handles 15,000 cases annually for children aged 0-16, providing safe anesthesia even for infants as young as two months.

    Since its establishment in 2010, the RB center at Xinhua Hospital has seen 2,500 outpatient visits annually and has treated over 2,000 children, with its technology benefiting patients nationwide and internationally.

    Addressing the practical difficulties faced by these rare disease patients, Xinhua Hospital, in collaboration with the Shanghai Overseas Chinese Development Foundation, Shanghai Putuo District Big and Small Public Welfare Development Center, and the Children’s Health Foundation, established an RB special fund. This fund supports a comprehensive system including postoperative follow-up, psychological intervention, and educational continuity. Since 2020, the fund has assisted over 50 RB patients.

    According to Xinhua Hospital’s “RB Children’s Social Adaptability Assessment Report,” the annual return-to-school rate for rehabilitated children is 92%. “Every child deserves a bright future,” said Sun Kun, President of Xinhua Hospital, who pledged to further expand international consultations and telemedicine services, continuously optimizing the treatment process to bring hope to more families.